Washing and scrubbing apparatus for cases and boxes



Oct. 18,, 19132. J, w, ENGHOLM l,883,772

WASHING AND SCRUBBlNG APPARATUS 4FOR CASES AND BOXES Filed April 12.1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 18, 1932. J, w ENGHOl M 1,883,772

WASHING AND SCRUBBING APPARATUS FOR CASES AND BOXES Filed Apr`11` 12`,1930 2 snets-sheet 2 Patented Oct. 18, 1932 U NIT ED- ST AT E Sl JOHN W.ENGHOLM, OE MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA WASHING AND SCRTJ'BBINGLA APPARATUSFOR CASES .AND :BOXES Appimti'onA fiiea. April 12,

This invention relates to apparatus for automatically washing andhandling cases and boxes and while capable of wide general application,is especially adapted for use for bottling pla'nts, such as creameries,breweries and the like, where the bottles are packed, delivered andreturned in cases and where it is desirable to wash the cases beforeagain utilizing the same.

The returned cases containing empty bottles are usually placed' upon anendless conveyor With their top-sides upby the deliverymen andvattend'ants in the plant remove the bottles andl sterilize and refillthe same. The said' conveyor usual'ly encircles the bottle Vsterilizingdevice and filling and capping machines in order that' there-filled'bottles may be continuously placed in the empty cases withoutnecessitating stacking orv rehandlfing of' the cases.

It is an object of my present invention to provide improved and highlyefiicient apparatus for washing andl scrubbing the cases or boxeswhilethe same are being eonveyed to the outgoing or delivery side o fthe bot'- tling plant.

It is a further object to provide automatic apparatus for washing casesand boxes, Wherein at least four walfl's of the case will bel scrubbedas they are moved through the apparatus.

Another object is to provide improved wash-ing apparatus adapted to belassociated with the receiving conveyors for boxes and cases, wherein thecase, which usual-ly has an open upper end, and an openwork orreticulated bottom is first automatically delivered and disposed onl endand is then caused to travelthrough a' heavy spray of water andsimultaneously'scrubbed on its fourwalls.

Still a. further object is to provide? in apparatus of the classdescribed, means for again delivering the cases or boxes subsequent totheV washing and scrubbing step to cause the boxes to be positioned anddelivered to the conveyor with their' opensides up for convenientrefilling.

Another object is to provide in apparatus ofv the class described,automatic means for scrubbing wooden cases or boXes transversely 1930.Serial No. 443,868..

of the grain of'the Wood to thoroughly clean the same.

These and other objects andl advantages. of the invention will be fullyset forth in the following description made in connection with theaccompanying drawingsv wherei'zn like reference characters refertosimilar parts throughout' the several views. and. wherein, Fig. 1 is aside elevation of an embodi'ment of my invention, some-portions of thecasing of the washing ChamberV and the tank being broken away;

Fig.. 2 is a cross section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fg. 3' is across section taken on the' line 3`-3 ofFig'. 1, showing'thewashingChamber and scrubbing mechanism ;z -p

Fig; 4.' is a cross section taken on the line 4. t of Fig. 1, showingthe short roller-Chain conveyor' for deliveri'ng the cases;

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig; 1; and

Fig. 6' is a crosssection taken on the line 6 6 of Fig; 1".

My inventi'on is Vespecially applicablefor washing cases or boXes of thetype having-an upper end and open work bottom and having Vertical Wallsdefined by horiz'ontal sllats which arespaced apart, but my apparatusmay be efiiciently utili'fzed for washing' most types of rectangularboxes.

In' the embod-iment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, mywashing' and scrubbing apparatus is shown associated with a conveyor Oof any suitable type for delivering" the dirty' cases with their topsides up.

A tilting conveyor T' having/its upper run disposed horizontally,receives the crat'es froml conveyor C and, as shown, comprises a pair ofendless roller chaiins 8, each trained over a rea'r sprocket 9 andarelati've'l'y large forward sprocket 10, said chains beingconnected'to-gether by a series of'spaced sl'a-ts 8a. The rollers 8bmounted in the links of' eha-ins 8 travel on suitable horizontalAsupporting tracks 11, which may be supported from the framework of m-ydevice. Certain of the s'lats 8a carry outwardly projectiing plates orlugs 12, which are adapted to engage the edges of theV boxes to push thesame forwardly and the several series of plates or lugs space the casesapart as they are successively delivered from conveyor O. At thedelivery end of tilting conveyor T a transverse Case-engaging plate P ismounted, inclined slightly from the horizontal and adapted to receiveand support momentarily a case as it is tilted in passing over theforward, downwardly Curved portion of conveyor T. The dotted linesindiCat-e the position of the casing while so supported. The caseremains in that position until the next successive Case strikes theupper end thereof sliding it forwardly ofi of the supporting plate ontoa horizontal conveyor X, which may be constructed in the manner ofconveyor T and which also is provided with several spaced series ofplates 13 adapted to engage the rear edges of the cases after they havebeen tilted into end up position. It will be seen that the upper run ofconveyor X is disposed Considerably below the upper run of the tiltingconveyor. The roller-equipped Chains of conveyor X may travelinhorizontal tracks 14, which extend longitudinally of my-apparatus andthrough the washing Chamber W.

An overhead conveyor O is adapted to cooperate with conveyor X toprevent the cases from tipping over or tilting out of end-up position,while being conveyed to the Washing Chamber. Conveyor O may beConstructed in similar manner to the conveyors T and X` and the lowerrun thereof is disposed to just touch the top of the cases when thecases are traveling on conveyor X in end-up position.

The washing Chamber W has a tank 15 in the bottom thereof and disposedbelow tracks 111 and the tank preferably is equipped with an overflowpipe 15a'l by which the level of the water therein may be maintained ata predetermined height. A spray pipe 16 is extended longitudinally ofand in the upper portion of the washing Chamber at some distance abovethe upper ends of the Cases and this pipe may be provided with a seriesof (as shown, three) spray nozzles directed downwarclly against thecases. The pipe 16 may be connected with a suitable source of watersupply.

Within the washing Chamber are mount-ed a series of rotary scrubbingbrushes, two of which have their axes disposed horizontally, in orderthat they may operate upon the upper and lower ends of the Cases. Theupper brush B1 is fixed to a shaft 17, which is journaled in suitablebearings provided in the framework of my device and which projectsbeyond one of the walls of the washing Chamber. The

-lower brush B2 is mounted on a shaft 18 and is of a length to nicelyfit between the tracks 14 and the lower surface of said brush isconstantly immersed in the water within tank 15. Vertically disp-osedbrushes B3 and 134 are mounted on opposite sides of the washing Chamberand are fixed to Vertical shafts 19 and 20 respectively, said shaft-sprojecting upwardly above the washing Chamber and terminating adjacentthe top of the frame. Brush'es B3 and BqE are adapted to engage the'sides of the Cases and in the embodiment illustrated are disposedsomewhat forwardly of the horizontal brushes B1 and B2.

The Cases slide on the tracks 141 while passing through the washingChamber and are propelled by the action of the Cases delivered to thewashing Chamber when thrust forwardly by the conveyor X. At the deliveryend of the washing Chamber a horizontal Conveyor Y is mounted and thisconveyor may be 3 constructed in the manner of Conveyors X, O and T andtrained over suitable sprockets. Mounted above the delivery end ofconveyor Y is a depending striker bar 21, which is adapted to engage theupper ends of the Cases as they are moved forwardly by conveyor Y,upsetting or tilting the cases into open side up position for refilling.

The conveyor Y delivers to a roller Chute or conveyor Z which may extendto the delivery side of the bottling plant if desired.

The various Conveyors and brushes may be driven by any suitable m-eans,and, as shown, are connected for driving with a motor M which may beconveniently mounted on the top of the framework and which, as shown, isconnected by a belt 22 for driving a shaft 23', said shaft traversingthe frame and being disposed above the upper ends of brush shafts 19 and20. The ends of shaft 23 are provided with beveled gears 23a which meshwith beveled gears 19a and 20a of the said Vertical brush shafts. Theupper brush B1 is driven by means of an endless Chain 24 trained aboutsuitable sprockets fixed to shaft 23 and shaft 17 respectively. Asshown, the lower brush B2 and also Conveyors X and Y are driven by anelongated endless Chain 25, which is extended in the form of a triangleand which is trained about asprocket 231) fixed to one extremity ofshaft 23 and about a sprocket 26a fixed to one end of the forward shaft26 of conveyor Y and about sprocket 18 and also about a sprocket 27which is fixed to the for- Ward shaft 27a of conveyor X. The overhea-dconveyor O and the tilting conveyor T are driven from the rear shaft 28of conveyor X, said shaft being projected at one side of the machine, asshown in Fig. 2, and having fixed thereto a pair of sprockets 28a and286. The smaller and inner sprocket 28a is connected by an endless Chain29 to a sprocket 30a fixed to the forward shaft 30 of tilting conveyorT. The larger and outer sprocket 282) is Connected by an endless Chain31 with a sprocket 320. which is fixed to a stub shaft 32 suitablyjournaled on one of the sides of the frame. Stub shaft 32 Carries areversing` gear 326, which is meshed with a gear 33a fixed to the rearshaft 33 of the overhead conveyor O.

Operation In operation, the cases or bo-Xes are delivered by conveyor Cto the rear portion of the tilting conveyor T in open side up position,and the projecting plates or lugs 12 of the tilting conveyor engage theedges of the boXes or cases and pull the same forwardly. At the forwardend of the conveyor, the cases drop and tilt into substantially end upposition, striking supporting plate P and momentarily resting thereon.The next Case in traveling with conveyor Tv strikes the rear edge of thetilted case ahead of it and pushes it off of the plate onto the conveyorX.

Conveyor X and the cooperating'o'verhead conveyor O are driven atsomewhat higher speed than the tilting conveyor and carry the cases tothe washing Chamber. If a case starts to tip over beyond end up positionafter it drops upon conveyor X, overhead conveyor O' engages the upperend, and being driven at the same speed as conveyor X preventsthetipping and assists in conveying the cases to the washing Chamber. TheChains of conveyor X pass through suitable apertures in tracks 14 at theforward end of the conveyor and the cases are thus delivered to theangle tracks at the receiving end of the washing Chamber. The successivedelivery of cases by carrier X Causes the cases to be abutted, slidingfrictionally on the tracks 14 and since these tracks are constantlycovered with water from the spray pipe 16 the friction will be slightand the successive abutment of cases carried by conveyor X will push thecases through the washing Chamber.

In the washing chamber, the top end and sides of the Cases are Coveredwith water from the several nozzles of the spray pipes and the wateralso passes through the slatted ends and sides of the case, Cleaning theinterior. rI`he brushes B1 and B3 and B* are supplied with requisitewater and are driven at comparatively high speed by the shaft 28,thoroughly scrubbing the upper end and sides of the cases. The lowerbrush B2 is constantly immersed in the water within tank 15 and scrubsthe lower end of the boX. The washing chamber is of such length that thecases will be thoroughly scrubbed and washed before being delivered toconveyor Y.

Conveyor Y moves at higher speed than the travel of the boxes throughthe washing Chamber and the cases, still positioned on end, are thusspaced apart as they are received by conveyor Y and are tilted andtipped by the clepending Striker bar 21 into normal open side upposition. Conveyor Y delivers to the conveyor or roller chute Z whichmay conveniently extend past the delivery end of the bottling plant inorder that the cases may be filled with bottles as they are travelingover the roller chute.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that with my apparatusthe Vreturned cases,v or boxesmay be automatically washed and scrubbedafter the empty bottles are removed. No handling or stacking of thecases is required. The Cases are tilted into end up position in orderthat the four veXterior walls may be scrubbed as the case is passedthrough the washing Chamber and the cases are thereafter tilted ortipped to normal open side up position in order that the bottles orother articles may be conveniently disposed therein as the cases travelover conveyor Z;

` It will be noted that where my apparatus is used for washing cases ofthetype having horizontally slatted wooden walls, the slats Vwill bescrubbed by the brushes B1, B2, B3

and B* transversely of the grain of the wood. This thoroughly cleans thewooden walls and is found much more efiicient than scrubbing the slatslongitudinally of the grain.

' It will, ofcourse', be understood that. Va-

rious changes may be made in the form, de-

tails, arrangement and proportion's of the parts without departing fromthe sCope of my inven-tion, which, generally stated, Consists in adevice capable of carrying out the objects above set forth, such asshown and described and defined in the appendedV claims.

What is claimed is: 1. In washing apparatus for cases, means vforreceiving cases in open side up position,

means for tilting said Cases into end up position, a washing chamber,means for moving sald cases through the washing Chamber, and

etheir sides disposed vertically and parallel to'the line' of travel ofsaid conveyor, a washlng chamber, means for moving said cases throughsald washing chamber, scrubblng /brushes Vin said Chamber for Operatingupon the walls of'said Cases, and means for driving said scrubbingbrushes.

3. In washing apparatus for Cases, means for receiving cases disposedopen side up, means for tilting said Cases into end up position, awashing Chamber having a source of water supply therein, means formoving said cases through said washing chamber, means associated withsaid washing Chamber for scrubbing the walls of said cases and means atthe delivery end of said washing Chamber for tilting said cases into topside up position.

4. In washing apparatus for cases, means for receiving cases in openside up position, a conveyor disposed forwardly of said receiving means,means for tilting said cases to dispose the same end up upon saidconveyor, an overhead conveyor spaced above said first mentionedconveyor, the lower run of which means at the delivery end of thew'ashingt00 is adapted to engage the up-ended Cases to prevent saidcases from tilting past end up position, a Washing Chamber, andvmeansfor moving said Cases through said washing Chamber.

5. In washing apparatus for cases, a Washing Chamber means fordelivering cases in end-up position to said Washing Chamber, means formoving said cases through said Washing Chamber, a conveyor receivingsaid cases in end-up position from the delivery end of said WashingChamber, and means associated With said conveyor for tilting said casesinto top-side-up position, Wherein said tilting means Comprises adepending striker bar positioned to engage the upper ends of said casesas they travel on said conveyor.

6. In washing apparatus for cases, means for receiving cases inopen-side-up position, a conveyor disposed forwardly of said receivingmeans, a conveyor disposed for- Wardly of said first mentioned conveyorand disposed at a lower level, a narrovv supporting plate disposedforwardly of said first men- 'tioned conveyor and slightly above thereceiving end of said last mentioned conveyor whereby a Case Will dropfrom said first mentioned conveyor and tilt into substantially end-upposition, the next case moved by said first mentioned conveyor strikingsaid first Case and pushing` the same onto said second mentionedconveyor and a Washing Chamber into which said second mentioned conveyordelivers the cases.

7. In washing apparatus for cases, a Washing Chamber, means for movingCases through said Washing Chamber in end-up position, scrubbing brushesin said Chamber for Operating upon the Walls of said cases, a Conveyorreceiving from said Washing Chamber and a striker member disposed abovesaid conveyor for engaging the upper ends of said cases in their traveland tipping the same into open-side-up position.

8. The structure set forth in claim 7 wherein the said conveyor isdriven at greater speed than said means and moving said Cases throughthe washing Chamber to provide sufficient clearance to enable said casesto be tipped by said striker member.

In testimony Whereof I affix my signature.

JOHN W. ENGHOLM.

